Percival Stockdale
Percival Stockdale (26 October 1736 - 14 September 1811) was an English poet and miscellaneous writer. Life Youth Stockdale was born on 26 October (O.S.), 1736 at Branxton, Northumberland, the only child of Thomas Stockdale, vicar of that parish and perpetual curate of Cornhill, near the Tweed, by his wife, Dorothy (Collingwood) of Murton, Northumberland.Cooper, 390. After spending 6 years in the grammar school at Alnwick, he was moved in 1751 to the grammar school at Berwick-upon-Tweed. He became intimately acquainted with the Greek and Latin classics, and acquired a taste for poetry.Cooper, 391. In 1754 he proceeded to the University of Aberdeen, having obtained a bursary in the united colleges of St. Leonard and St. Salvador. The death of his father in 1755 left the family in pecuniary difficulties, and he accepted the offer of a lieutenancy in the 22nd or royal Welsh fusiliers. He joined Admiral Byng's fleet, which anchored in the bay of Gibraltar in May 1756. Stockdale, with part of his regiment, was on board the Revenge, in the expedition sent, under the command of Admirals Byng and West, to the relief of the besieged garrison of St. Philip in the island of Minorca. He returned to England in October 1756, and in November 1757 he left the army on the ostensible ground of ill-health. Literary career On his way to his mother's house at Berwick he stayed at Durham, and was introduced to Dr. Thomas Sharp (1693–1758), archdeacon of Northumberland, who persuaded him to take holy orders. At Michaelmas 1759 he was ordained deacon by Dr. Richard Trevor, bishop of Durham. Immediately afterwards he came to London as Sharp's substitute in the curacy and lectureship of Duke's Place, near Aldgate. Henceforth he mixed in the best literary society of the metropolis, and became intimate with Garrick, Dr. Johnson, Dr. Browne, Oliver Goldsmith, John Hawkesworth, and Lord Lyttelton. He published A Poetical Address to the Supreme Being (Berwick 1764), 4to, and The Constituents: A poem, London, 1765, 4to. In 1767, being without church employment, he visited Italy, and resided for 2 years at Villafranca, where he read and wrote assiduously. He returned to London in 1769, and in the following year published a translation of Tasso's Amyntas. He succeeded Dr. Guthrie in the management of the Critical Review, edited the Universal Magazine in 1771, and wrote a "life" of Edmund Waller, prefixed to the poet's Works (1772). He also translated the Antiquities of Greece from the Latin of Lambert Bos (1772), and in 1773 he published Three Discourses: Two against Luxury and Dissipation, one on Universal Benevolence. In the summer of 1773 his most important work appeared: a poem entitled The Poet. At this period Lord Sandwich, first lord of the admiralty, appointed him chaplain of the Resolution, guardship, lying at Spithead. He was attached to that vessel for 3 years. He composed some characteristic minor poems, besides translating into English Sabbathier's Institutions, Manners, and Customs of the Ancient Nations, and publishing Six Discourses; to which is prefixed an introduction containing a view of the genuine Ancient Philosophy, London, 1777, 8vo. Afterwards he wrote An Enquiry into the Nature and Genuine Laws of Poetry; including a particular defence of the Writings and Genius of Mr. Pope (London, 1778, 12mo), against the essay by Thomas Warton. He published in the same year Miscellanies in Prose and Verse and a translation of Riccoboni's ‘Letters from Lord Rivers to Sir C. Cardigan.’ In 1779 he contributed to the Public Advertiser political letters under the signature of ‘Agricola.’ According to his own doubtful story, the principal London booksellers, having resolved to bring out a new edition of the ‘English Poets,’ with biographies, requested Stockdale to undertake the work. An agreement was made, but, by some "strange misunderstanding," Stockdale was deprived of this employment, and Dr. Johnson wrote the Lives of the Poets. After a brief experience as tutor to the eldest son of Lord Craven, Stockdale was presented in 1780 by Sir Adam Gordon to the rectory of Hinxworth, Hertfordshire. While there he took priest's orders, 23 years after his admission to the diaconate. In 1782 he wrote An Examination of the Important Question whether Education at a Great School or by Private Tuition is preferable, London, 1782, 8vo. In 1783 Lord-chancellor Thurlow presented him to the vicarage of Lesbury, Northumberland, and to this the Duke of Northumberland added the vicarage of Long Houghton in the same county. There Stockdale composed an Essay on Misanthropy, 1783. His tragedy of Ximenes, in five acts and in verse, was printed in 1788, but was not acted, as the manager of Covent Garden Theatre declined to accept it. After paying a visit to Tangier for the sake of his health, Stockdale returned to Lesbury in 1790. Subsequently he published ‘Thirteen Sermons to Seamen, preached on board H.M.S. Leander in the Bay of Gibraltar,’ 1791; a ‘Letter to Granville Sharp, suggested by the present Insurrection of the Negroes in the Island of St. Domingo,’ 1791; ‘Observations on the Writings and Conduct of our present Political and Religious Reformers,’ 1792; ‘Poetical Thoughts and Views on the Banks of the Wear,’ 1792; an amusing correspondence with Shute Barrington, bishop of Durham, 1792; a ‘Letter to Mr. Bryant, occasioned by his late Remarks on Mr. Pope's Universal Prayer,’ 1793; an edition of Thomson's ‘Seasons,’ with biography, 1793; a ‘Letter to a Gentleman of the Philanthropic Society on the Liberty of the Press,’ 1794; ‘The Invincible Island: a poem, with introductory Observations on the present War,’ 1797; ‘A Discourse on the Duties and Advantages of Old Age,’ Alnwick, 1801, 4to; ‘A Remonstrance against Inhumanity to Animals, and particularly against the Savage Practice of Bull-Baiting,’ Alnwick, 1802, 8vo; ‘Lectures on the truly eminent English Poets,’ 1807, which present a strange combination of good and bad sense, of just and petulant criticism; a selection of his best ‘Poems,’ 1808; and ‘Memoirs of his Life and Writings, containing many interesting Anecdotes of the Illustrious Men with whom he was connected,’ 2 vols. 8vo, London, 1809, with his portrait, engraved by Fitler from a painting by Downman. He died at Lesbury on 14 Septem 1811, and was buried at Cornhill-on-the-Tweed.Cooper, 392. Writing He never harboured a doubt that he was a poetical genius of the highest order, and the indifference of the public to his pretensions embittered his life. Unbounded egotism, conceit, and yearning for poetical fame are exhibited in his Memoirs. "I know," he exclaims, "that this book will live and escape the havoc that has been made of my literary fame." Recognition On 28 Oct. 1784 Archbishop More conferred upon him the Lambeth degree of M.A. (Gentleman's Magazine, June 1864, p. 770). Publications Poetry *''A Poetical Address to the Supreme Being''. Berwick, UK: R. Taylor, 1764. *''Churchill Defended: A poem''. London: W. Flexney, 1765. *''The Constituents: A poem. London: W. Flexney, 1765. *''The Poet: A poem. London: W. Flexney, 1773. *''Three Poems''. London: W. Flexney, 1784. *''Poetical Thoughts and Views on the Banks of the Wear''. Durham, UK: L. Pennington, for W. Clarke, London, et al, 1792. *''The Invincible Island: A poem''. London: W. Clarke / F. & C. Rivington, 1797. *''Poems''. Alnwick, UK: J. Catnach, for J. Wallis ; W. Clark, London / J. Fairbairn & T. Brown, Edinburgh / et al, 1800. *''An Epitaph on a Very Pretty and Most Amiable Cat''. Lesbury, UK: Press of M. & J. Grahame, 1803. *''A Poetical Tribute to Lord Nelson''. Alnwick, UK: 1805. *''An Epitaph on Mr. Pitt''. Lesbury, UK: 1806. Play *''Ximenes: A tragedy''. London: R. Faulder, 1788. Non-fiction *''The Life of Edmund Waller''. London: T. Davies, 1772. *''Three Discourses''. London: W. Flexney, 1773. *''Six Discourses''. London: N. Conant, 1777. *''An Inquiry into the Nature and Genuine Laws of Poetry. London: N. Conant, 1778. *''An Examination of the Question: Whether education, at a school or by private tuition, is preferable? London: J. Dodsley, 1782. *''An Essay on Misanthropy''. Berwick, UK: William Phorson & B. Law, London, 1783. *''Sermons on Important and Interesting Subjects''. London: John Stockdale, 1784. *''A Sermon after the Funeral of T. Knipe''. Alnwick, UK: Alexander Graham, 1785. *''A Letter to Sharp: Suggested by the insurrection of the negroes''. Durham, UK: L. Pennington, for W. Clarke, London, et al, 1791. *''Thirteen Sermons to Seamen''. London: J. Deighton, 1791. *''Observations on the Writing and Conduct of our Reformers''. London: Mr. Swan, 1792. *''Two Farewell Letters''. London: J. Ridgway, 1792. *''Three Letters''. London: J. Ridgway, 1792. *''A Letter to Mr. Bryant on Pope's Universal Prayer''. London: J. Ridgeway / W. Clarke, 1793. *''A Letter on the Liberty of the Press''. London: J.S. Jordan, 1794. *''A Letter to the Bishop of Durham, on the Slave-trade''. London: L. Pennington, 1799. *''A Discourse on the Duties and Advantages of Old Age''. Alnwick, UK: 1801. *''The Reply of English Truth to French Gasconade''. Alnwick, UK: J. Catnach, 1801. *''A Remonstrance against Inhumanity to Animals''. Alnwick, UK: M. & J. Graham, 1802. *''To Mr. Porter: On his proposals to paint some of our principal achievements during the late war''. Alnwick, UK: 1803. *''Lectures on the Truly Eminent English Poets''. (2 volumes), London: privately published, printed by D.N. Shury, 1807. Volume I, Volume II *''Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Percival Stockdale ... by himself''. (2 volumes), London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, & Orme, 1809. Collected editions *''Miscellanies in Prose and Verse''. London: W. Flexney, 1778. Translated *Torquato Tasso, The Amyntas. London: T. Davies, 1770. *Lambert Bos, The Antiquities of Greece. London: T. Davies, 1772. *François Sabbathier, The Institutions, Manners, and Customs of the Ancient Nations. (2 volumes), London: T. Becket, 1776. Volume II *Marie Jeanne de Heurles Laboras de Mezières Riccoboni '' Letters from Lord Rivers to Sir Charles Cardigan, and to other English correspondents, while he resided in France''. London: T. Becket, 1778. Edited *James Thomson, The Seasons. London: A. Hamilton, 1793. *Samuel Marsh Oram, Poems. London: Philanthropic Press, for T. Cadell, 1794. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Percival Stockdale, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library CEnter Inc. Web, Dec. 4, 2016. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, Dec. 4, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *"Verses on the Abolition of the Slave Trade," annotated e-text *Percival Stockdale at Poetry Nook (17 poems) *''The Poet: A poem'' ;Books *The memoirs of the life, and writings of Percival Stockdale, Volume 1 By Percival Stockdale *The memoirs of the life, and writings of Percival Stockdale, Volume 2 by Percival Stockdale ;About *"The Poetic Parson" at Stockdill/Stockdale weblog *Rev. Percival Stockdale (1736-1811) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 *Biography of Stockdale in The Gentleman's Magazine, Volume 110, 1811 * Stockdale, Percival Category:English abolitionists Category:English poets Category:1736 births Category:1811 deaths Category:English male writers Category:18th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:English clergy Category:Poets